Legal Council and Howard Brown expand partnership

January 31, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Kevin Mork, 312-605-1976, kjmork@legalcouncil.org
Erik Roldan, 312.206.2166, erikr@howardbrown.org

Legal Council and Howard Brown Health Expand Partnership Thanks to Foundation Support
Free legal services soon available at Englewood, Rogers Park, and Uptown

CHICAGO, IL. (January 31, 2017)—Legal Council for Health Justice and Howard Brown Health will significantly expand their medical-legal partnership (MLP) thanks to recently awarded grants from national and local foundations, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation ($75,000), the LGBT Community Fund at The Chicago Community Trust ($50,000), and DIFFA/Chicago ($11,000). An MLP is an evidence-based model that joins civil legal aid and medical professionals to make people and places healthier.

The free legal clinic—operated by staff from the Legal Council and LAF—opened at Howard Brown Sheridan (Uptown) in 2015 and has seen overwhelming demand. The influx of much-needed financial support will allow for a full-time legal advocate from the Legal Council to rotate between Howard Brown’s locations in Englewood, Rogers Park, and Uptown. These neighborhoods represent some of the most underserved in Chicago in terms of access to legal assistance.

According to Legal Council Executive Director Tom Yates, “We are delighted to grow our strong partnership with our friends at Howard Brown thanks to these generous funders. The demand for legal services at these sites is only going to increase, and we will be there as long as needed.”

“We’re thrilled to expand the legal clinic program for our patients and clients, who might otherwise not have legal information or services available to them,” said David Ernesto Munar, President and CEO of Howard Brown Health. “The communities surrounding our Rogers Park and Englewood sites will no doubt benefit from better access to the Legal Council’s services.”

Hours and dates of operation for the various free legal clinic sites will be available soon at the websites of both Legal Council for Health Justice and Howard Brown Health.

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Legal Council for Health Justice uses the power of the law to secure dignity, opportunity, and well-being for people facing barriers due to illness and disability. All programs partner with health and hospital systems to train and support the care provider network, provide direct representation to referred patients, and conduct systemic advocacy to promote health equity among populations facing chronic, disabling, and stigmatizing health and social conditions. www.legalcouncil.org

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Howard Brown Health exists to eliminate the disparities in healthcare experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through research, education and the provision of services that promote health and wellness. www.howardbrown.org

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